Irony Is Green
by CeruleanSnapdragon
Summary: It was the cruelest of ironies that such beautiful eyes were completely useless
1. Chapter 1

Irony Is Green

By CeruleanSnapdragon

All Standard Disclaimers Apply

(It was the cruelest of ironies that such beautiful eyes were completely useless)

Kairi had never liked the cold. Granted, her island home never got all that cold but still, she was a warm weather person.

Here on the mainland things were different. A biting wind nipped at her extremities, laughing at the way she flinched away from what most people here would have called a nice, autumn day.

The red haired girl tugged her gloves up higher and tightened her scarf. She hoped to all that was good and holy that her dorm room was already warm and ready for her. Kairi sighed, expelling a puff of silvery breath. If only she could have stayed on Destiny Island to get her nurse degree.

But no. Destiny University was small, just like every thing else from her home, and did not have medical training. Clear blue eyes glazed slightly as the girl fell into memories of her home. Warm, sandy beaches, the ocean, the palm trees in the breeze.

A frown marred her tiny lips. Every thing was different here. It wasn't very warm this time of year and the ocean was miles away. And the trees! What kind of trees would change from their nice, normal green to a bizarre mixture of red, gold, and orange?

Kairi had always liked to be in control. Here, nothing listened to her. She was starting to miss her friends, her home, her-

Before she could finish her melancholy thoughts, Kairi slammed into a warm, large body and tumbled backwards. Horror washed over the girl when she relized she had walked right into another person and knocked them over as well.

"I'm so sorry!" Kairi yelped, jumping up and extending a hand, "I was walking and thinking and I…I wasn't looking where I was…going…"

Words died on the girls thin lips as she looked down at the man she had toppled over. He was rubbing gingerly at his backside, a bright, mischievous grin splitting his lean pale face. What looked like teardrop tattoos crinkled slightly as he looked up at her, and suddenly Kairi forgot everything around her.

His eyes were the most amazing shade of emerald she had ever seen, framed by a blaze of vivid red hair which shot out in all directions like a bonfire.

"So you can't walk and think at the same time?" he said, waving a large hand around a few inches away from her own extended arm, "That could be dangerous."

Some small voice in the back of her head screamed about his insult but it was drown out quite easily. His voice was deep and full of laughter, a little mocking and arrogant.

"I was…" she started, grasping for an excuse in her mind, "just distracted."

His gloved hand finally made contact with her bare arm and latched on, yanking himself up and almost bringing her to the pavement in the process, "S'ok, I understand. Women are often caught off guard by my dashing good looks."

Kairi couldn't decide if his grin was attractive or insufferable as a light blush crept across her nose. She opened her mouth to give him a snippy reply but stopped. The man was looking past her blankly, one heavy boot shuffling around on the ground as if searching for something.

That was when she noticed the long white stick on the ground to his left.

"Oh…" she said softly then much louder as the truth hit home, "OH! H-here let me get that for you!"

The red haired man blinked, at bit startled by the sudden change. Moments later he felt a small hand gently press his cane into his own hand. Frowning, the male reached out, waving his am carefully close to where the voice was coming from.

Kairi watched as the strangers hand wagged its way above her head, coming down slowly until it finally rested on top of her soft, crimson locks. A shocked expression flew across the mans slender face. And then he laughed.

Kairi felt her stomach doing a triple summersault twist for no apparent reason. She had never heard any one laugh like this man. It was like sunshine and chocolate running all over her and a jolt of something much strong than lightning shooting up her spine. All the bad things in the world melted away as she listened to that deep, rich sound.

"You…You're _tiny_!" he laughed, moving his hand to her should and squeezing slightly, "How the hell did a petite little thing like you bowl over someone like me over?"

"I'm pretty strong for my size." Kairi said absently.

He nodded, dropping his arm back to his side, grin still gleaming like a thousand watt bulb, "I've noticed. My names Axel. A-X-E-L. Got it memorized?"

She nodded for a memento before realizing what she was doing and blurted out, "I'm Kairi. I just moved here a few weeks ago."

"Ahh…here for the college?"

"How did you know?" the girl asked in amazement.

He chuckled again, waving his cane around, "Why does any one come to Twilight City? You're either here for a job or an education. You don't sound very old so I guessed it was the latter."

"I happen to be nineteen." She huffed indignantly, hugging herself against the newest blast of wind. Kairi watched as his hair wiped around his face, making it look like his head was on fire.

He shrugged, tapping out a path to the left of her, "And I'm twenty-one. I wasn't trying to insult you. Edgy little thing, aren't you?"

He walked past her, tap-tap-tapping his way towards the coffee shop, "See ya around, Princess!"

Kairi stood there, watching the way he had gone vacantly for a good five minuets before another explosion of chilly air broke her out of her trance. Shaking her head slightly, the girl walked away.

-

Snap: Depending on how this story is received, I may or may not continue it.

Please leave a review and thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Irony Is Green

By CeruleanSnapdragon

All Standard Disclaimer Apply

(It was the cruelest of ironies that such beautiful eyes were completely useless)

One week and three days.

One week and three days since Kairi had met the sightless red haired man with eyes like jade stars. Not that she was counting or anything…

She was far to busy with tests and homework to bother with such a trivial thing. And yet every time she caught a flash of red or saw a glimmer of green she couldn't help thinking back to him. To Axel.

But she hadn't seen him in one week and three days (she _wasn't _counting though) and didn't expect to see him ever again. Until she walked into The Moogle's Mocha and saw him nestled in a corer, book splayed out before him and staring absently into space.

Kairi stopped dead, mouth slightly open and eyes wide. What should she do? There was just something about that man that threw her off. Kairi was the kind of person who liked to know exactly what to do and what was going on. Axel was like a penny on the tracks of her thoughts. He just messed every thing up and she didn't know why.

"How can I help you, Kappu?" The small creature asked when she made her way up to the counter.

"One medium espresso, double shot please…three creams, two sugars."

"Right away, Kappu!"

Kairi watched the little animal jump down from its stool and scurry to the back, the red ball on his head bobbing merrily. She tried to keep her focus on the Moogle, on the coffee display, anywhere but…

Axel wasn't wearing his gloves this time, bare hand skimming the pages of his book. Kairi wondered at how long and thin his fingers were and at the way they seemed to dance across the paper.

It wasn't until something furry and soft touched her hand that the redhead was pulled from her thoughts. She jumped slightly, making a startled sound, "Wha?"

"Um…here's your drink, Kappu…" the Moogle said, shoving the steaming cup towards her, "I was trying to tell you miss but you didn't answer, Kappu."

"Oh…" Kairi said in a small voice, wishing the worn, wooden floor would open up and swallow her, "Thank you." She paid and moved away, blushing a bright pink.

So there she was, standing only a few feet away from Axel, mesmerized by the liquid movements of his hands. Would it be rude to sit down? Should she say something first? Would he even remember her?

Before she could decide what would be best, Axels head snapped up and turned in her general direction, "Princess? That you?"

"How…how…" she stuttered, almost dropping her drink.

He laughed, that wonderful, melodious sound that made her heart do strange twisty things that hearts were _not_ supposed to be able to do, and kicked the chair opposite him, "Have a seat, Tiny. I was wondering if you would come over here."

She eased into the chair, setting her espresso down and frowning a little, "How did you know I was there?"

"I heard you for one thing," Axel said, closing his book and sliding it to the side, "You made that same funny squeaky noise when you ran into me a couple weeks ago."

_One week and three days ago_ Kairi thought before she could stop herself. She was just glad she hadn't said it out loud or that he couldn't see the blood rushing to her face.

"So how's school?" he asked, patting the table in search of his coffee, which was somewhere to the right of where he was probing.

"Its hard." She said simple, "Being a nurse takes time."

Axel looked up to where he must have thought her face was, "A nurse, eh? Should have guessed that. You seem like the caring type." He frowned and started to pound at the table, apparently frustrated he could finde his coffee.

"Oh please don't do that." Kairi cringed, thinking of the awful burn he could get, "here, let me."

The man smirked, showing his sharp, white teeth, "just as I thought. Did you move it to see what I would do or something?"

"No!" Kairi gasped, so loud that a few people looked over. The girl shrunk down,, mumbling apologizes, "I mean…who would _do _something like that?"

"My friend Roxas used to do that to me all the time." Axel said with a shrug, lifting the mug to his lips and sipping the hot liquid.

"That's terrible!"

Axel gave a bark of laughter, almost spitting out his drink, "Oh it wasn't that bad. Now when Demyx and Saix used to move the furniture and not tell me…" He set his cup down carefully, a wide grin splitting his features as if these were the best memories in the world.

Kairi could only sit there, mouth agape and eyes unbelieving. Just who was this man? Forget penny on her thought track, this man was a big freaking brick wall.

"So I bet you're sitting there all confused and full of pity right?"

He was still grinning but something was different now. It was less playful now but not angry. His eyes were focused somewhere above her mouth, "I know your type Kairi."

"You do?" She breathed, unable to look away.

He nodded, hair bobbing gently with the motion, "You like the world to be a perfect little square. You want everything out where you can see it and control it. You pity me, don't you?"

"I…" Kairi wasn't used to being caught off guard like this. Her friend Riku would sometimes challenge her but it was nothing like this. She found it was hard to breath.

Axel was smiling now, a sad, rueful kind of grin. He leaned over the table so close she could smell the coffee on his breath and a hint of some kind of cologne.

"Just because I'm blind…" he whispered, green eyes gleaming, "doesn't mean I can't see."

-

Snap: One more chapter. Axel is being cryptic…oooo…and quite OOC I think…

I don't think I like how this is going and I may scrap it soon.

Thanks for reading and please leave a review on your way out!


	3. Chapter 3

Irony Is Green

By CeruleanSnapdragon

All Standard Disclaimers Apply

(It was the cruelest of ironies that such beautiful eyes should be completely useless)

-

Kairi had left the coffee shop rather quickly after Axel's little statement, mumbling something about having tons of home work and that she would see him around.

He had smiled and waved, calling out 'Ciao baby!' loud enough for half the café to look up. Of course he had done it on purpose and was roaring with laughter by the time the door slammed closed behind the infuriated girl.

Axel had become like a thorn stuck in the back of her mind, just out of reach and always itching. What right did he have to flounce into her life and tell her what she was thinking? The smug twit…how dare he actually voice the thoughts she held locked up in her heart.

It was two weeks exactly before she saw him again. Kairi had thought a nice walk in the park would be just the thing to cool her pounding head and ease the newest wave of homesickness that the bright Christmas lights and laughing Santa's had brought on. It was still November, damn it…

The park was empty save the occasional old couple feeding the ducks and a bicyclist now and then. The islander was glad for the peace and quiet, even if she was still getting used to the chill of the wind. The dried, brown leaves crunched under her feet as she made her way to the center of the square. It was her favorite place, encircled with towering naked trees and carpeted with still-green grass.

As Kairi made her last turn down the winding brick path she stopped dead. There, standing in the center of her favorite place, stood the one person she did not want to see. She dove behind a tree, brain panicking as to whether he had seen her or not. It took a moment to realizes just how stupid that a thought that was.

The red-head peered out from behind her hiding place. With his back to her, head tilted up and hands shoved into the pockets of his black leather coat, there was no mistaking that mane of blood red hair. Axel shifted his weight from one foot to the other and emitted a sigh that shook his broad shoulders.

_I should just leave…or throw a rock at him_ Kairi thought, torn between amusement and guilt at the latter. Yet she couldn't bring herself to walk away. To be perfectly honest he was the only person she actually knew here. The only person she really wanted to talk to.

He turned, eyes looking right past her, when the girl stepped on a twig which snapped loudly.

"Hullo?" Kairi hated how his deep, curious voice soothed the ache in her heart, "Some one there? Come out where I can see you."

He was grinning at the last part, apparently pleased with his own joke. Kairi decided she also hated the way his warm, crooked grin brightened up her dim life. More than any thing, she hated the desire welling up inside her to call this arrogant, carefree man 'Friend'.

"Hellooo?" Axel called out again, starting to walk up the path towards her, "If there's nobody there just say so."

Kairi made a sound half between and laugh and a sob as she stepped out a few feet in front of him, "Yeah, there's nobody here."

Surprise flashed across the mans face, "Whoa! So there was somebody! I thought it was a dog or something." His surprise melted into interest and a touch of concern, "Kairi? That you?"

"You really do have amazing hearing." The college student sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of her glove. When had she started crying?

"Hey, are you ok?" Axel asked staring at her right shoulder with poorly masked anxiety, "You sound a little off."

"It's just…the cold. It still gets to me you know." The girl took a deep, calming breath and shoved her confused squirming emotions to the back of her heart, "What are you doing out here?"

"Oh, you know…just enjoying the sights." He grinned down at her, twirling the long, dingy cane between his fingers, "I was wondering if I would run into you again."

"Did you miss me?" it was like being back home. It was like the playful banter between herself and Riku or the almost-fights with Waka that always ended in ice-cream. Hard as she tried not to -because he was still a stranger. Because they had only met twice now. Because he was annoying and insufferable and just plain weird- being with Axel felt like _home_.

"Well…" he looked away to the tree tops, spinning the cane ever faster, "maybe just a little…how 'bout you? I'm sure you were just miserable in my absence."

Kairi remained silent for a moment, watching as the white stick in his fingers slowed and was stabbed into the semi-frozen ground, "Yeah…you could say that…"

Axel made an odd face, as if her answer surprised him but he was trying to hide it, "I knew you'd warm up to me Princess."

Silence settled on the pair again. The wind picked up a bit, tugging the fallen leaves into an unwilling dance before scattering them about the park.

"So…you want to get some coffee?" the sightless man asked nonchalantly, tugging his cane out of the ground and glancing over at the girl.

Kairi laughed, a sound that Axel had not heard yet but found he quite liked, "I thought you would never ask."

"To The Moogle's Mocha!" the man declared, starting to walk off.

The girl blinked, fought with herself a moment, than laughed again and ran up to him, "It's this way, you dolt." She corrected, gabbing his free hand and giving it a gentle tug.

Axel smirked wickedly and twined his long fingers together with hers so she couldn't let go, "I know…"

-

Snap: So I guess first off I should apologize for taking so long to finish this. Sorry guys, my bad…I actually lost the password for both this account and the Email I use for this account. Then I scrapped this whole final chapter twice before coming up with something I didn't despise.

About the ending, yes. That is it. They become good friends and if you want to think stuff happened after that, you go right ahead.

_Please_ don't ask for a sequel. If you ask then I'll want to write one and it will take me another year if I don't just fail completely right off the bat.

And I can't believe how many of you threatened me D: -fears for life-

Thanks for reading and please review!


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